Airway suction cleaner



Nov. 15, 1932. n. B. REPLOGLE' 1,387,600

AIRWAY SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 3,1928 2 Sheets-Shee 1 D. B REPLOGLE1,887,600

AiRwAY SUCTION CLEANER.

Nov. 15, 1932.

File 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Jmmtcw b3 Pep/o 6/9 Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES DANIEL. n'mrsouBEPI DGLE, OI BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ABSIGNOB, BY DIRECT- IESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE COMMERCE GUARDIAN TRUST & SAVINGS TRUSTEE, OFTOLEDO, OHIO PATENT OFFICE AIRWAY sucrro'n cLmna Application filedFebruary a, 1928. Serial No. 251,641.

This invention relates -to manually portable electrically operatedcleaners of the anway type in which tools and hose pipe accessories areoperatively attachable to a tubular 5 handle thereof and is designed toutilize airway cleaning tools and air-way cablnets such as are describedin my co-pendmg application for patent, Serial N 0. 15,529, filed March14, 1925, and in my Patent No. 1,651,624, granted August 21, 1928. Bythe term air.- way as applied to cleaning devices I have reference tothat type of cleaner having a hollow handle which provides an airpassage or air-way communicating with a cleaningtool and with a sourceof suction, and in which the cleaning effect is obtained by the-erosivelike action of swiftly moving air, as more fully set forth in mycopendmg application Serial No. 15,529, filed March 14, 1925. Theobjects of the present invention are to improve the form, manner andconvenience of attaching and, removmgof paper dust filteringreceptacles, to provide better position for the dust indicatonvalve andthe electric connections on the suction or tubular handle, to provide ameans for coohng the motor and to otherwise improve the apparatusgenerally.

To these ends the invention conslsts of the form, construction and arranment ofipa'rts as set forth herein, and as 11 ustrated 1n theaccompanying drawings in wh1ch:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my assembled cleaner in workingpositlon for show the interior arrangement of motor driven fans, and thedust collection element.

tion of the valve memberand couplings there-x.

of for connecting to the handle and dust collector.

from the parts shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows the paper dust filter resweeping a floor, parts beingbroken away to- Figure 2 1s a front view of a sultable a1r-.; e Ce tac1eI eiid ofFthe Figure 4 i a detaila'fiifsiseefive 1. thetransparent-topped indicator valve removed .ceptacle accompanied byamat-with-which it is designed to be coiled within the body of thedevice.

Figure 6 shows a cross section taken on the line (-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detail designed to illustrate how the filtering receptacleis attached to receive the exhaust of dust laden air.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with the upper portion ofthe dust collector broken' away for the purpose of illustrating theinternal connections between parts, including the suction handle, thedust collector and the filtering receptacle.

In the drawings like characters of reference denote like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views.

The straight section 1 of the tubular handle is intermediately joinedtothe curved section 2 thereof by slip joints at the open end 1' and 2'respectively, of the'valve member 8 and it is further connected to thefloor tool 4 at the slip joint 3. The said floor tool 4 is arranged toturn on theoswivel joint 5 so as to conform with the floor re ardless01E variations in the angle of the ban 1e which is ri idly secured tothe machine as a whole.

The motor 6 is rigidly attached with its axis parallel to the handle bymeans of the brace 7, and the valve housing 8 which isaligned with thehandle, has. the nipple piece 9, connecting it with the L 10 by means ofthe knurled coupling screw 11. The other end oftthe L 10 connects withthe body 12 by. means of thecap 13 which is designed to fit down on theconcentric shield 14 so as to clasp the periphery-of the hole 14 of thepaper filter 19 over the end 10' of the connectmg -L 10, so as tolead'within the filtering 'T 'eiknurled iring 15 runs onthe threaded 14,sealing-againstilea age and supporting fihe filter 19.

the filtering' enve ope 19 to kee it from be- A ing pressed against theinner we is or against its own folds; thus insuring f ee passage of airthrough its pores during i ation. Also A; suitable'niat. 20 which may be'made of 1 straw or other light material is coiled with Y 9o 7 v L 10back of the "cap 1'3 and is adapted to clamp the eriphery of the hole toprevent collapsing and shuttin oil the air flow from the interior of thelter, the extender 20' is placed centrally of the body 12 and directlyover the passage leading to the fan 6 and 6".

Bands 21, 21 are used to further secure the body 12 to the handle 1 andthey also sup port the ends of a truss 22 carrying the terminals 24 and25 of the electric conduction cords 23 and 23 respectively. The terminal24 is rigidly held fast while the terminal 25 is arranged to be slidinto and out of electric contact by means of the sliding ring 26, whichencircles the handle. The arrangement of the terminals and conductioncords is being claimed in my copending application 592,392, filed Feb.11, 1932.

The cylindrical extension 27 of the fan case 29 has fitted to it, thelower end 28 of the body 12, in such manner that the intake of the fan6', 6" is from the body 12 through a central port 34 in the lower end 28thereof.

The exhaust port 29' of the fan-case is equivalent in design to the endof the handle tube 2 so that a hose pipe suitable for suction on the endof the handle may be attached to the exhaust 29, and used as a blower.Or-

. dinarily, however, a deflector plate 30 stifily hinged at 31 isarranged to throw exhaust air against the motor 6 for the purpose ofcooling the same when in service.

The reason for hinging the deflector plate is to permit the same to bemoved out of the way of the exhaust port 29 of the fan case to permit ahose pipe or suitable attachment to be secured to said exhaust.

A bracket 32 carrying a pair of rollers similar to the rollers 4', 4 ofthe floor tool is also secured at the hinge 31 and serves to support thedevice as a whole in the working position. The bracket 32 and thedeflector plate 30 may be formed integral or separately, as desired.

The device in operation is designed to be drawn back and forth over thefloor with the rear rollers elevated ordinarily above the floor forgeneral sweeping; but may be tilted over the edges of rugs and the likeby dropping the handle straight down so as to fulcrum on the rearrollers when they reach the floor. For running under furniture, thehandle and body are swung over sidewise, swivelling at the joint 5.

The floor tool being removable, the lower end of the pipe or handle 1may be provided with any approved modern tools such as may be used forstationary cleaning systems, including such as may have independentlyelectrically driven parts. An outlet 33 on the motor 6 is provided so asto connect electrically from any independent source, or to furnishfurther extension of the current brought through the conduction cords23, 23'.

In addition to the operative connection made with the cleaning tools atthe lower end of the handle, the outer end of the curved handle tube isadapted to connect with hose p1 e or any suitable cleaning tool. 7

uring the cleaning operations the transparent-topped valve 8 must ofcourse be kept within the housing 8, its port 17 registering with theopen upper end of the L 10, the cylindrical portion 16 being adapted tointerchangeably open and close the handle passages as the port 18 isrotated to register with either.

It is to be noted that by my present arrangement of the parts, thetransparenttopped valve is brought near to the hand and eye of theoperator of the device, as a sweeper, and facilitates observation ofresults when the dust laden air whirls through the valve 8'.

It is also to be observed by this present construction, the dust andlitter of cleaning is arrested before the air carrying it passes throughthe fan. This arrangement favors compounding of the fan as shown,whereby the air passes through the centrifugal fans 6 and 6"consecutively and is thereby much accelerated and made more effective.To prevent the litter from reaching the fans in case of rupture of thefilter 19, the first port 34 leading to the fan is covered by an archedcircular screen 34 arranged in the lower end of the body 12.

When the filter 19 has become fouled or sufliciently filled, it isremoved by first unscrewing the ring 11 so as to detach the L end fromthe member 8 then unhookin the cap 13 connected with the I said L,liftin them away with the filter attached. After the filter is outsidethe body it is released by unscrewing the ring 15 and sliding inward theend of the L carrying the shield 14. The filter envelope 19 with itscontents is designed to be thrown away or destroyed and replaced with anew similar envelope made of porous paper on which advertising may beprinted.

Replacing the filtering envelope is accomplished by first slipping themouth 14 thereof over the shield 14 as detailed in Figure 7, then beforereinserting into the body 12, laying it in laterality with the mat 20and coil ing the two into spiral form. Then the coiled filter and matare slid within the body 12 and around the distender 20 as shown indetail in cross section Figure 6. The cap 13 is replaced and againsecured by suitable means against leak, the rings 11 and 15 are againscrewed up, and the device is ready for further service.

Having now described the device and the manner of using the same, what Iclaim is:

1. An air-way cleaner having a dust coltachably connected at its mouthto an. in-

take tube adapted to direct dust-laden air into the interior of thefilter envelope, means for preventing collapsing of said envelope, asuction pipe extending along the full length of and parallel with saiddust collecting body rigidly connected thereto and movable therewith,the said suction pipe being adapted to be attached to dust collectingtools and being connected to said intake tube.

2. An air-way cleaning device comprising electrically operated suctionmeans, a suction pipe handle, a dust collector body parallel with saidsuction pipe, a filtering receptacle within said body, a valveintermediate of the ends of said handle and an L pipe leading laterallyfrom said valve and pro- 'ecting downwardly into said body, a cap lidsecured to an end of said L pipe and adapted to close the end of saidbody, and the same end of said L pipe adapted to connect with and leaddust laden air into said filtering receptacle.

3. In a suction cleaning device, a motor, a motor driven fan, a fan-casehaving a downwardly directed exhaust port, a supporting bracket anddeflector plate hinged on a common axis to said fan case, and saidsupporting bracket arranged to support the device in a working positionand the deflector plate curved to direct the exhaust air from thefan-case against the said motor.

4. In a suction cleaning device, a motor, a motor driven fan, a fan casehaving a downwardly directed exhaust port, and a supporting bracket anddeflector plate hinged to the exhaust portion of said fan case from acommon axis.

plate being curved to direct exhaust air from the fan case against saidmotor to cool the same.

8. A suction cleaning device comprising a source of suction, anopen-ended suction handle, a floor tool operatively connected at one endof the handle, said end being adjacent to the source of suction, a dustcollector body parallel with the suction handle, an openmouthed dustfilter carried within the dust collector body, said dust collector bodyhaving an exhaust outlet at the and adjacent the floor toolcommunicating with the source of suction, an L-shaped intake pipeleading from the suction handle to the end of the dust collector bodyopposite the source of suction and discharging dust-laden air downwardlyinto the interior of the dust filter through said open mouth, thejuncture between said intake pipe and the suction handle being locatedadjacent the end of the handle opposite the floor tool, atransparent-topped valve located at said juncture serving to connectsaid dust collector selectively to of the suction handle, and being ataheight convenient to the hand and eye of the operator when the floortool is in use and the handle in normal working position, whereby theamount of dust passin through the machine may be conveniently oflserved.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

DANIEL BENSON REPLOGLE.

5. In a suction cleaning device, a motor, a

motor driven fan, a fan case having a downwardly directed exhaust pipe,and a deflector plate extending from the lower end of the exhaust pipeand curved to direct exhaust air from the fan case against the motor forcooling the same.

6. A pneumatic cleaner having a dust collecting body, air suction meansconnected at one end of the body for exhaust-ing air therefrom, afiltering envelope arranged within .said body and detachably connectedat its mouth to an intake tube, said intake tube communicating with saidbody at the end thereof 0 posite said air suction means; and said inta'e being adapted to direct dust laden air into the interior of thefilter envelope, means for preventing collapsing of said envelope, asuction pipe parallel with said dust collecting body, rigidly connectedthereto and movable therewith, the said suction pipe being adapted to beattached to dust collecting tools and being connected to said intake tn7. In combination with a pneumatic cleaning devlc'e, a motor, a motordriven fan, a. fan

case having a downwardly directed exhaustpipe, and a deflector platehingedly secured to the lower end of said exhaust pipe, said oppositeends l I V

